In color laser printers, the problem of low density dropout may cause color inconsistency and other print abnormalities. Low density dropout refers to a condition where calibration of low half-tone densities in a laser printer ultimately causes low half-tone densities to diminish or disappear. Specifically, inaccuracies inherent in sensing the precise density of half-tone test patches generated on a transfer or media transport belt for purposes of calibration often results in incorrect calibration of half-tone densities in a laser printer. For example, in some situations a reading of a density of a particular half-tone test patch may indicate that the density is greater than its actual density appears on the media. In such case, in calibrating the half-tone density the amount of toner deposited onto the transfer belt for the respective half-tone density may be reduced, resulting in dropout in the image.